


Oh, Crepe! He's in Love...

by Astral_Space_Dragon



Series: The Quickest Way to a Devil’s Heart [15]
Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Baker!Reader - Freeform, Cooking, Feelings, Kyrie is All-knowing lol, Vergil is Bad at Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-23
Packaged: 2021-03-25 13:07:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30089550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astral_Space_Dragon/pseuds/Astral_Space_Dragon
Summary: After the near-kiss, Vergil fights the emotions and feelings he has for you. Fearing the possibility of ruining his friendship with you, he tries to keep those emotions under lock and key.No one can know about what he feels... especially you...
Relationships: Vergil (Devil May Cry) & Reader
Series: The Quickest Way to a Devil’s Heart [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1751872
Comments: 19
Kudos: 42





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> More tags will be added as I put up more chapters

**Dante POV**

Dante whistled a tune as he made his way to your bakery. The tune slowly died down as his mind went to his conversation with Vergil. Well… is it really a conversation if Vergil only gave one word answers?

\----------------------

_ Dante sat at his desk with his feet on the desk, bored out of his mind. No calls have come in. No Morrison. No Lady or Trish. Not even Patty. Just one of those slow days at the shop. With his silent brother. _

_ Like a lightswitch, he got a craving… a craving for something sweet. He shot up from the desk and rummaged through his desk until he found his wallet. _

_ He noticed Vergil eyeing him "Going somewhere, brother?" _

_ "Just for a snack run" _

_ Vergil rolled his eyes "Sundaes, I'm assuming?" _

_ Dante shook his head "Nah. Going to see, peach. Wanna come---" _

_ "No" Vergil answered rather abruptly. _

_ Dante scowled in confusion "You sure? I'm sure she'd love to see the both of us---" _

_ "Do I need to repeat myself, Dante?" Vergil growled "I said 'No'" _

_ Dante raised his hands in defense "Fine, man. Whatever" _

\----------------------------

Dante is still so confused. Why did Vergil react in such a way? Especially at the mention of you? Did something happen between you and Vergil?

His mind buzzed with countless questions as he entered your shop.

"Dante!" you exclaim with a smile.

Dante smiles as he greets you "Peachy! Slow day?"

You sigh "Yeah… you could say that" you look around him "Vergil not with you?"

Pushing down the frustrated groan that threatened to bubble up, Dante shakes his head "He's at this shop"

A slight downcast look crosses your face as your shoulder sag "Oh… that's okay"

Dante could feel his heart wrench at how saddened to look. Seriously… What did Vergil do?

Quick to cheer you up, Dante says "I'm sure he'll be around. He's been a bit preoccupied"

"Yeah…"

Dante frowned, not liking the sullen look in your eyes. He decided to try and distract you. He went over to a display of crinkly red cookies cover in white powder "I don't think I've cookies like these before"

The spark in your eye comes back as you say "Whip cream cookies"

Now Dante was curious "Cookies made of whip cream?"

You nod, you smile coming back "Strawberry cake batter, whip cream and sugar"

Dante leaned on the glass "Alright. I'm sold"

You giggle "You're not going to try one first?"

Dante scoffed "I already know they're good"

"Heh… sure, Dante" you jest as you bag six cookies. You hand them to Dante as you say "Let me pack some treats for Vergil… hope he's not mad…"

Dante scowls slightly "Why would Verge be mad?"

You shrug "I don't know… whenever I'm around him, he goes quiet" Dante hears you grow more and more upset as you speak "It feels like he is avoiding me… like… he doesn't want to talk to me… or look at me…"

Dante sighs.  _ Damn it, Verge… _

"I'm sure he'll come around, peach. He's probably in one of his moods. He's been like that since we were kids"

You hum, doubting Dante's words "Maybe" you quickly bag up chocolate truffles before handing it to Dante "Here you go… I hope these at least make him less mad at me"

Dante smiles sadly as he gives a curt nod in farewell.

When he was away from your bakery, he seethed at what you said. What could be so wrong that Vergil has to take out his sour mood on you???

He slammed open the front doors of the shop and stomped past Vergil. He tossed his back of cookies on the desk before tossing the bag of truffles to Vergil. 

Vergil quirks his eyebrow at the bag "What's this?"

"Chocolate truffles"

"I didn't ask you to get me anything"

Dante rolls his eyes "I didn't even ask. Y/N decided to bag them as a peace offering"

Vergil scowled in confusion "Peace offering? What are you on about?"

Dante snorts as he rolls his eyes "Are you asking that or are you really that stupid?"

Vergil growls at the question "What are you talking about?"

"You really have no idea?!" Dante roared "She thinks you're mad at her!"

In an instant, the scowl on Vergil's face disappears "Why would she think that…?"

"Hmmm! Let's think about that! Could be that you don't talk to her, let alone look at her! You're avoiding her!"

Vergil growls in frustration "I am  _ not _ avoiding her! I've just been occupied with other matters"

"That's not how she sees it! She's genuinely upset about this"

That stopped Vergil in his tracks.

Dante rolls his eyes " _ That _ got your attention! She didn't say it outright, but I wouldn't be surprised if she feels like you hate her---"

Vergil sat up with a start "I could never hate her!"

"You sure about that? What I've seen tells me otherwise!"

Vergil clenched his fists with a growl.

Dante shook his head as he grabbed Ebony and Ivory "I'm goin to blow off some steam"

\-------------------------------

**Vergil POV**

Vergil glared bullet holes into the tile floor as the front doors slammed shut. He glances at the paper bag next to his thigh. He opens it and is greeted by the smell of chocolate. He picked one and bit into it. His eyes light up when he tastes that you put hazelnuts in the truffles.

He hums as the taste before his mind wanders to his behavior the past two weeks. Ever since the night he saved you, he's been avoiding you in hopes that these damn romantic feelings would go away.

But… he hadn't thought about how you'd feel… hearing how upset you are with him… thinking he hates you… he never wanted to hurt you. But he has… and these truffles are your way of apologizing for something that's not even your fault.

Vergil sighs heavily as he eats another truffle.

\---------------------------------

**Normal POV**

You run your hand through your hair as you crick your neck, hoping Dante delivered your apology to Vergil.

You enter the shop and are surprised to find the lobby completely empty.  _ Looks like they had a job.  _ You sigh to yourself.

"Y/N?" you hear Vergil call out from the kitchen; he almost sounded… troubled.

"Vergil?" you call back as you make your way to the kitchen "Is something wrong---"

"I'm fine!" he yelled abruptly; again in that troubled tone. Then it hit you: the smell of… cooking?

Ignoring him, you rush into the kitchen and gasp at the sight. Vergil is donning one of your aprons, covered in what looked like cheese sauce, and fanning your electric skillet. It wasn't smoking, but it was close to.

Vergil turned to you with a mild look of panic. Was he… trying to cook for you?

You nudge him aside and switch off the skillet. You fan the steam away to see that he was trying to cook some ground beef. You take a whiff.  _ Hmm… pretty burnt. _

You start to scrape the burnt meat into the garbage as you ask "What were you trying to make, Vergil?"

You're met with silence from the blue devil. You place the empty skillet on the counter and look at him. Vergil is seated at the dining table, not looking at you. He bore a mixture of shame and embarrassment in his eyes.

"Vergil?"

Vergil sighs "It's come to my attention that… I've been unfairly harsh to you"

You bite your bottom lip.  _ Looks like Dante talked to you… _

"Forgive my behavior. My mind has been… occupied as of late. I've been trying to sort it out and inadvertently took out my frustration on you"

"You didn't---"

Vergil raised his hand, stopping you "I may not have snapped at you, but I still ignored you and tossed you aside…" Vergil takes a deep breath "Upsetting you was never my intention. There's nothing for you to apologize for… you did nothing wrong…"

A warm feeling spread in your chest at Vergil's heartfelt apology. You feel relief upon learning that you didn't do anything to offend Vergil…

You smile "It's okay, Vergil… we all have our spouts of blah"

Vergil returns your soft smile as you ask "Is that why you were trying to cook? To try and make it up to me?"

Vergil looks away as a tinge of pink paints his ears.

You giggle "What were you trying to make?"

Vergil wordlessly stands and shows you one of your recipes… one of your own: cheeseburger shells and cheese.

Vergil runs his hand through his hair with a sigh "I tried to make what I thought was a simple recipe… clearly I failed in that"

Still smiling, you grab a towel and run it under the kitchen faucet "You didn't fail, Vergil… you were doing alright so far…"

You walk up to his and wipe the cheese sauce from his face "Let's get you cleaned up… then we can cook together"

\--------------------------------

**Vergil POV**

As Vergil tossed his shirt in the washer, he stewed in his embarrassment.  _ How foolish of me to try and make something in her domain. _

He heads to his bedroom and grabs a clean shirt. After putting it on, he stares into the mirror with a sigh.  _ She probably sees me as a fool… _

He smooths his hair before rejoining you in the kitchen.

You greet him with that loving smile "Are you ready?"

Vergil gives you a curt nod.

You clap your hands together "Let's get started! The water for the shells is heating up. For now, let's focus on the ground beef"

Vergil grabs the ground beef log and looks at you expectantly.

"Now, since you and Dante love this dish, we're using the whole log"

Vergil's eyes widen as he looks back and forth at the log and the awaiting electric skillet "This whole log? Can your skillet take it?"

You wink "Of course! These things are built for anything"

Vergil hums as he cuts open the packaging "I'll take your word for it"

The meat log plops into the skillet with a quiet sizzle. Quickly, you break up the meat with a wooden spatula. You grab the salt and pepper shakers and add a generous amount of both to the meat. You move the meat around, mixing the salt and pepper in.

"How's the pot of water Vergil?" you ask.

Vergil checks the pot of water to see it a boil "It's boiling"

"Good! Can you pour in the four boxes of shells?"

Vergil does as you ask and pours the uncooked pasta into the boiling water.

Just as he's about to ask the next step, you hold out a wooden spoon "Stir the shells occasionally so that they don't stick to the bottom of the pot"

Vergil nods as he stirs the pasta. As he watches the pasta, he can't help but be enamored by you being so focused on the meat. The focus in your eyes reminds him of being focused in combat.

Within a few minutes, the smell of browning meat fills the air, making Vergil's mouth water.

After you drain the beef fat from the skillet, you ask Vergil "How's the pasta Vergil? Is it cooked enough?"

Vergil glances at the shells… he's not sure…

"I believe so…" he mumbles.

"Let me see" you request.

Vergil steps to the side and allows you to check the pasta. You carefully scoop one of the shells and eye it. You blow on the shell before eating it. You chew for a few moments before smiling with a nod "Yup! All ready! Let's drain the pasta then we can mix it with the meat"

Vergil hums with a curt nod and does as asked. He pours the cooked pasta into the awaiting colander in the sink and shakes excess water.

At your okay, he pours the pasta into the skillet and you immediately mix it with the cooked beef. You add a bit of black pepper for taste.

"Now for the cheese sauce" you mumble to yourself. You look to Vergil "You pour while I mix?

Another quiet nod from Vergil as he grabs two jars of cheese sauce. He pours them into the skillet as you mix the cheese in with the pasta and meat.

Half the jars were empty when you signalled him to stop. At that point, cheese covered the meat and pasta. You stir the food a bit more, adding a little bit more black pepper.

"Aaaand… it's done" you announce. You scoop a tiny bit onto a wooden spoon and blow on it before holding it out to Vergil.

Vergil accepts the offered food and eats. The second the cheesy goodness touched his tongue, he immediately fell into a state of pure bliss. The meat was so well cooked, the cheese was creamy, and the black pepper added an extra flavor to everything.

Vergil snaps from his daze when he hears you giggle. He looks at you with a quirked eyebrow.

With a smile, you say "I'm never going to tire of that happy look you get. You and Dante get the same look whenever you eat. I love it"

Vergil hums with a small smile "Is there really any surprise? You are a master at this"

You huff a chuckle as you wipe your hands on a dish towel "I'm going to shower. I'm tired"

Vergil nods. His eyes follow you as you leave the kitchen. As he washes his hands he hears you say "Hey, Dante!" and immediately, he freezes. He slowly turns his gaze towards the door and sees his brother.

Dante is peeking into the kitchen, bearing an all-knowing grin.

"My oh my, dear brother… it all makes sense, now…"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vergil tries to live with the fact that Dante now knows how he feels about you.
> 
> Meanwhile, Dante gets a call from Nero asking if Vergil could would come to Fortuna to help him on a job. Dante decides to convince you to go along to visit. The first step of a plan he has.

**Vergil POV**

You jog to the doors and wave at Vergil with a smile "See ya, Vergil!"

Vergil waves back at you with a ghost of a smile.

When you close the doors after leaving, Vergil hears the heavy bootsteps of his twin.  _ Great… _

"Peach leave for work?"

Vergil didn't answer the question.

Dante slaps his hands on the desk. Vergil looks up at his brother to be greeted by an impish smirk.

"You kiss her goodbye, bro---"

Dante is interrupted by Vergil launching a series of blue swords at him.

"Foolishness…"

Dante chuckles as blood drips from his mouth "Denial isn't a good look for you, brother"

A growl bubbles in Vergil's chest as he tries to go back to his reading "I'm not denying anything"

Dante scoffs as he wipes the blood from his chin "Sure, man…"

After a few moments of silence, Dante blurt out "You'd feel a lot better if you just---"

Vergil shot up from the desk "I'm leaving" ask he walked, he went out of his way to walk over Dante, making sure to leave a bootprint on his shirt.

\-------------------------------

**Dante POV**

Dante lay on the tile floor with a smug grin.  _ Oh, Vergil… you have it bad… _

Suddenly, the air is filled with a loud ringing. The phone. Dante get up off the floor with a groan and picks up the receiver "Devil May Cry"

"Dante?" Nero's voice questioned from the other line.

"Hey, kid! Need something?"

"Actually… I was wondering if da---Vergil is there"

"Just left"

"Oh. What about Y/N?"

"Your momma? Just left for work"

"FUCK YOU! Don't call her that!"

Dante laughs at the reaction he got from the younger hunter. Through his dying laughter, he asks "Why are you asking for them?"

"N-no reason…"

"Aaaaaaw!" Dante gushes in a teasing manner "You want to check up on your folks?"

"You know what?! Go fuck yourself, old man!" Nero yells.

Another chuckle from Dante "So fun to mess with you…"

Nero huffs "Whatever…"

"Anyway, back to my original question: why are you asking about Verge and Y/N?"

"Well… I'm going to take a rather large gig and I was wondering if Vergil wanted to come along"

Dante hums "Aright. Fair. And… Y/N?"

Silence on the other line "Wanted to see if she was okay… Lady told me what happened…"

A serious look crosses Dante face "She's fine, Nero… just some bruising"

More silence from Nero before he asks "Lady told me that he flew from the other side of the city in seconds. Is that an exaggeration?"

"No. He really did. The target said something to him and he nearly lost it. If he hadn't acted as fast as he did…" Dante stops himself from continuing. He doesn't even  _ want _ to think about it… then he gets an idea... 

"Dante?" Nero snaps Dante from his daze.

"Yeah. Sorry about that. Mission and checkup. I'll pass the message along, Nero"

\-----------------------------------

**Seven hours later**

Dante wakes from his nap when the front doors open. He removes the magazine from his face and looks to the front doors to see you and Vergil walking in.  _ Heh… looks like you went to the bakery, Verge… _

You wave with a smile "Hey, Dante? Get enough sleep?"

Dante chuckles "Sure. After taking care of Miss Wesley's roof again, I needed it"

You and Vergil visibly wince as you add "Yikes. Miss Wesley, again?"

Dante shrugs "Eh… she pays well"

"Still…"

"Oh! Before I forget, Nero called the office"

Vergil scowls a bit "Nero? Is something wrong?"

"Actually, he was looking for you. He's going to take on a big job and was hoping you'd come along"

"He said that?"

Dante raises his hand "Swear on my ice cream stash"

You nudge Vergil slightly "You should. This is a good opportunity to be with Nero"

Dante grins widely "Yeah! Some good ol' father-son shit!"

Vergil lets out a growling hum, an indication that he's thinking about it.

"And, peach. Nero was wondering if you'd visit" Dante lied "He's been asking about you"

"Oh! Really? I better go with Vergil, then"

Dante nods "Yeah. I that's a good idea" he adds "I'm sure Kyrie will be thrilled to see you both"

You and Vergil look at one another. A small sideways smile grows on your face "I think a rest in Fortuna could do some good for me… I've been missing Kyrie, to be honest"

The grin on Dante's face grows when Vergil agrees.

"Very well. I'll see to this job Nero needs aid with"

\------------------------------

**Normal POV**

Within an hour, you had a bag packed for the next few days in Fortuna. You also packed a bag for Vergil despite him saying it wasn't necessary.

You sling the bag over your shoulder and meet up with Vergil, who is waiting in the lobby.

"Are you ready?" he asks.

"One last thing, Vergil. I need to return to my bakery" you say as you head out the door.

"Why?" he asks.

When the two of you got to your bakery, you unlocked the front door and put up a sign. A sign painted to look like wood. A drawing of a cutesy-style fish with some text: Temporarily Closed.

You re-lock your bakery as you mumble "Hopefully that makes people less mad…"

Vergil snorts "If humans want to take their anger out on you for taking a small vacation, they'll have to deal with me"

"Haha… my hero"

"Now…" says Vergil as he unsheathes the Yamato "Shall we?"

\--------------------------

When the two of you stepped out of the portal into Fortuna, you were greeted by familiar sounds and scents. The island had been getting a lot better since the Savior incident. The people or Fortuna are not as isolated and a bit more welcoming of outsiders.

You and Vergil make your way to Nero's home. You're the first to Nico in the garage, working on the van.

"Nico!" you call out.

Nico pokes her head from the hood of the van. She immediately smiles upon seeing you and Vergil "Hey! You're both here!"

Vergil gives a curt nod "Nicoletta"

"V-man! Glad you're here! This job is going to be a doozy"

Vergil furrows his brow "What's the job?"

"Nero can tell you the deets. Lemme get 'im" Nico steps down from the stool and goes to the doorway leading into the house "Nero! Ya daddy is here!"

"CAN YOU NOT SAY IT LIKE THAT, NICO?!" Nero yells from inside the house. An amused smile crossed Vergil's face as you snicker at the hunter's reaction.

Nico winks with an impish grin as she steps into the house.

Shortly after, Nero enters the garage and is surprised to see you with Vergil "What are you doing here?"

Your eyebrows furrow as you reply "Dante told me that you've been wanting me to visit?" in an instant, it dawns on you that Dante told a little fib "Damn it, Dante…"

Nero shares your frustration for a moment but brushes it off "Ah… It's fine. I've been meaning to see you, anyway"

Vergil steps forward "There will be plenty of time for that. What is this job Dante mentioned?"

"Oh! Right! Well…"

At that point, you leave them to discuss the job and enter the house. When you step into the living room, you're immediately greeted by three excited voices "Miss Y/N!"

You smile warmly as the three children rush to you "Hi there, boys!"

The children bounce excitedly as they swarm you with questions "What are you doing here?" "Are you visiting?" "Do you have snacks?" "Is Dante with you?" "What about Grandpa Vergil?"

You continue to smile as the boys jump excitedly.

"Y/N?" you hear Kyrie call out. She steps out of the kitchen and her eyes immediately light up when she sees you standing in the living room.

"Y/N! What a lovely surprise! Are you here with Mr Vergil?"

You nod "Yeah. Thought I'd visit while he and Nero take care of that job"

Kyrie nods. She opens her mouth to speak but Carlo loudly asks "Miss Y/N! Are you going to make food?"

You look to Kyrie, who just shrugs with a smile.

"Heh… I guess I have to. I want to wait until Nero, Nico and Vergil get back. Think you three can wait until then?"

The three boys nod eagerly before rushing out to the backyard to play.

When the boys were gone, Kyrie turned to you and asked "Would you like something to drink?"

"Oh! Very much, Kyrie"

Kyrie goes to the first and pulls out a pitcher filled with a blue-violet liquid "I just made some plum-cardamom iced tea"

"That's sounds lovely"

Kyrie pours two tall glasses of tea and piles a small plate with tea biscuits. She places the tray down on the coffee table and sits with you. You take a sip of the tea and hum at the sharp taste of the cardamom.

"It's delicious, Kyrie"

Kyrie smiles warmly at your compliment. For the next hour, the two of you engage in small talk; talking about life in general. At some point the subject of conversation diverts to Vergil.

"Really lucky that Vergil was quick enough to save you" Kyrie comments.

You nod "Very lucky… he's done so much for me. He's a good friend"

A knowing smile crosses Kyrie's face "He's really fond of you"

You hum with a smile "I like him, too. He's very sweet"

"That's not what I mean, Y/N"

You raise an eyebrow "What do you mean?"

"I mean, he's  _ really _ fond of you"

For a moment, you're confused about what Kyrie is referring to. Then it dawns on you. You blush madly "Kyrie!"

The smile on Kyrie's face grows as you realize what she means.

You manage to compose yourself enough to ask "Are you sure?"

Kyrie hums with a nod "I've seen how he stares at you"

"And… how does he stare at me"

"With admiration. Especially when your in the kitchen"

You let out a dejected sigh "I don't think it's admiration of me, Kyrie. I think he just likes watch me work in the kitchen"

Kyrie giggles as she shakes her head "That's not what I see, Y/N"

Another sigh seeps out of you and you decide to leave it at that.

As you and Kyrie talk, you hear the familiar screeching tires. Kyrie giggles when she hears Nero yell at Nico about her driving.

Nero continues to argue with Nico as they enter the house with Vergil following close behind.

Vergil walks to you while you ask "How was the job?"

"Challenging. I can see why Nero needed aide"

"At least it's taken care of"

Vergil nods in agreement "You are correct"

You slap your thighs as you stand "Well. That's my cue to start dinner"

"Do you need any help?" he asks.

You were about to decline the offer when Kyrie spoke up "Yes! She does. I'm going to watch the children, so I'll be a little busy"

You glance at Kyrie through your peripheral as Vergil gives a curt nod "Very well. I'll allow you time to prepare the proper ingredients while I wash up"

"Sure, Vergil" you nod. When Vergil left the room to wash up, you sharply turned your gaze to Kyrie and gave her a look that screamed 'WHY'.

Kyrie simply smiles before going to the backyard.

\------------------------------------

**Vergil POV**

When Vergil joined you in the kitchen, you had all the ingredients ready.  _ Hm… pasta tonight… _

"What is on the menu tonight, chef?" he asks in a joking manner.

You chuckle as you answer "Cheese tortellini in a homemade bolognese sauce"

The blue devil hums as he ties an apron on "What is the first step?"

You smile "First step is to cook the meat"


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vergil and Nero leave for the job and have a long and much needed talk.
> 
> AKA: Obligatory talk of Nero's mother doused with those good Dadgil feels that we all love :D

**Nero POV**

Nero watched the boys play a game of tag with a fond smile.

His ears perk up when he hears Nico talk with someone.  _ Dad here already? _

"Nero!" Nico shouts from the garage "Ya daddy is here!"

Nero blushes furiously.  _ Why did she have to say that??? _

"CAN YOU NOT SAY IT LIKE THAT, NICO?!" he yells. He scowls at Nico as he heads to the garage.

He stomps into the garage as is surprised to see not only his father, but you: the woman he sees as a mother.

"What are you doing here?" he asks you.

You furrow your brows slightly "Dante told me that you've been wanting me to visit?"

_ What? No I didn't--- Damn it, Dante! _

He sees your look of exasperation as you mumble an expletive. Looks like you also realize that Dante told a small lie.

Nero smiles softly "Ah… It's fine. I've been meaning to see you, anyway"

Vergil steps forward "There will be plenty of time for that. What is this job Dante mentioned?"

"Oh! Right!" Nero says as you enter the house "Well, there's a situation on the other side of the island… something about a weird lake demon"

Vergil hums "Are people sure that it's a demon and not a local spirit?"

Nero shakes his head "I don't know… you never know with these people… but it doesn't hurt to check"

Another hum from the older hybrid. He looks towards the house as Nico familiar bootsteps get closer. Vergil glances at Nero "Very well… shall we?"

Nero nods as Nico enters the van. Vergil takes a seat at the small table and Nero sits in the passenger seat. Nero hears his phone ding; a text message.

He checks his phone. A message from Dante?

_ Hey, kid! Your old man and peach make it Fortuna? _

Nero types:

_ Yeah. About that. Any reason why you lied to her to get her to come here? _

Dante responds:

_ Felt like she needed a break. Especially after all the craziness. I couldn't tell her straight away though. She'd say no. That's why I mentioned you. She's got a huge soft sport for you. _

Nero sighs.  _ Can't argue with him there… _

Another message:

_ By the way. Keep and eye on them. Should be interesting ;) _

Nero scowls slightly.  _ What does he mean…? Whatever…  _

\-------------------------------

After a short drive, they find themselves on the edge of the forest. Nico points southeast "The lake is in that direction. Lotta bad juju coming from there…"

Vergil gives the mechanic a curt nod "Thank you, Nicoletta"

"Let's get this done quick" says Nero "The client already paid. I'll split it with you"

Vergil nods and the two being the trek into the woods.

During the walk, a question lingers on Nero's mind.

As if reading his mind, Vergil pipes up "You clearly want to ask something, Nero"

"Got me there…" Nero muttered before saying "I… What was my mother like?"

Vergil slows his walk to a complete stop. Nero frowns slightly "Dad?"

A sad smile crosses Vergil's face "Your mother… She was bright… warm… and fearless"

Nero cocks his head "Fearless?"

Vergil nods, still smiling "During my time in Fortuna… all those years ago… the residents kept to themselves and weren't too savvy to associate with an outsider…"

_ Huh… looks like Fortuna's always been paranoid… _

"Except your mother… she was the first… and only to come up to me with the intent to talk"

"I can't imagine you were all too friendly"

Vergil chuckles "And you'd be right. I wanted little to do with her. Still… she persisted… eventually wearing me down"

"What stopped you from retaliating or reacting in any way?

"Curiosity. While I wanted nothing to do with this human… a part of me was curious about her… about the look in her eye"

"What look?"

"A look of wonder and curiosity… she was always curious about the world outside of Fortuna. and I was more than willing to answer her questions"

Nero thinks for a moment "Sounds like she dreamt of leaving"

Vergil hums with a nod "Now that I think about it… I believe she did…" Vergil stares off into the distance before continuing "Eventually… I felt something deep within blooming for her…"

"Love?"

"Maybe… I was so absorbed in my search, that I didn't know what to make of that feeling"

Nero's hung on to those words. He knows of what happened to his father and uncle when they were children. He can't even begin to imagine what trauma like that can do to someone…

"All of that…" Vergil continued "Would eventually lead to many late nights"

Nero raises an eyebrow "Of research?"

Vergil gives Nero a look "Not those kinds of late nights, my boy…"

"What do you mea---" Nero's eyes widen in realization "Okay! Didn't need to know that!"

Vergil chuckles "Children don't come out of thin air, Nero. Sometimes, it takes multiple---"

"Alright! That's enough!" Nero exclaims with a frown "I do NOT need to know that! I already hear that shit from Dante! I don't need to hear it from my own father!"

Vergil laughs "You asked"

Nero flips off Vergil, who is still laughing.

When Vergil's laughter died down, Nero asked "So… you really didn't know about me…"

Vergil fell quiet. He took a deep breath before answering "No… I never knew she fell pregnant. I left with the promise to return shortly after one of… those nights… it's likely that she didn't know until she actually began to experience symptoms"

That… intrigues Nero "You planned on returning to her?"

Vergil nods "I did… but we both know how that played out"

More silence follows. Nero asks "If you had known about me… would you have stayed?"

More silence from the half-devil. Nero observes the far-off look in his father's eyes.

"I don't know… As I said, I was so absorbed in my quest for power… nothing else occupied my mind at the time… I can't say for sure as my younger self had a rather bad case of tunnel vision"

A downcast look crosses Nero's face.  _ Can't really hold that anwer against him… there are so many what ifs… _

"As much as I would have loved to know you… to raise you… a part of me shudders at the thought of Mundus… learning of your existence upon my imprisonment… and what he might've done to you as a result…"

Nero had no argument there. He's heard whispers of how horrible Mundus is… his grandmother's killer… the demon who imprisoned and tortured his father. He can't even imagine… 

Vergil places a hand on Nero's shoulder with a proposal "If you want, Nero… we can look for her"

Nero sharply turns his gaze to Vergil. Look for his mother?

"Why…?"

"Closure… for you. Whether or not she's alive… you at least deserve to know…"

Nero feels his heart clench at his father's reasoning. Countless thoughts race through his mind.

Nero is pulled from his thoughts when Vergil gently shakes him "Nero?"

Nero silently gazes at Vergil. The older devil asks "Do you wish to find her?"

Nero thinks for a moment. He shrugs "I don't know… for all we know she likely died after having me… the way you describe her… she didn't sound like the type of person who would just give me up"

Vergil looks off into the distance with a grim look "You're right… knowing her… she likely would've snuck onto the ferry to leave Fortuna. She wasn't one to give up." he sighs "It is likely that she perished…"

Nero's heart breaks when he sees the sadness in Vergil's eyes. He pats Vergil with a sideways smile "Besides… I've always had a mom. Even though I didn't realize until recently"

Vergil smiles, knowing exactly who Nero is referring to. They both stop when they hear water. They turn their attention to the lake. Nero frowns. The surface of the lake is covered in thick green algae and a smell of rotting plants permeates from the area.

The two hunters notice bodies floating among the algae: bodies of animals… and humans.

Nero winces "Shit…"

Vergil goes to the edge of the water and runs his hand through the algae. He pulls his hand out and frowns when the algae slides off his hand like slime.

In an instant, the water bubbled violently. Vergil shot up and gripped the tsuka of the Yamato. Nero readied Blue Rose.

From the lake, a large mass emerges from the water. A demon. A demon covered in moss and algae. Glowing yellow eyes shone from beneath the green mass. Nero's nose wrinkles when the smell of rotting plants hits him like a bus.

The demon lets out a low rumble as Vergil glances at Nero "Ready?"

Nero flashes a fanged smirk "You know it!"

Within the hour, the large demon was defeated. Vergil and Nero leap back to the edge of the lake and watch as the demon disintegrates. Moss and algae fall into the water as the demon lets out a pathetic rumble.

Father and son watch with wide eyes as the algae turns into water lilies. The corpses that rest on the water's surface fade into a shining light. As the demon fades, purple flowers flutter from its body.

When the demon is dead, Nero and Vergil take in the new sight. A single water lily floats by Vergil's boots. He gently lifts it from the water and marvels at the colors: a beautiful mixture of blue and purple with a fiery orange center.

"It's beautiful out here…" Nero says to himself.

Vergil hums in agreement as he gently places the flower in his coat. He sheaths the Yamato as he declares "We should be heading back"

"Yeah…"

\-------------------------------

The van screeches to a halt in the garage.

"Do you really have to drive like an animal?!"

Nico puffs her cigarette "We're here, aren't we?"

Nero rolls his eyes with a growl. They two go back and forth for a bit before Nero darts into the bathroom to wash up.

Halfway into his shower, his nose was greeted by the scent of garlic, cooking meat and Italian seasonings.  _ Looks like mom and Kyrie started on dinner… _

He finishes his shower and slips into fresh clothes. He steps out of the bathroom and into the living room. He's surprised to see Kyrie and Nico sitting on the couch, talking.  _ Is mom cooking on her own? _

Kyrie greets Nero with a smile. Nico smirks as he gestures her head towards the kitchen.

Nero furrows his eyebrows in confusion. He looks towards the kitchen and his eyes widen.

There in the kitchen, is you. You're at the stove, focused on making dinner. And you're not alone. Vergil… his father… stands at your side, aiding you in the task. And… he's smiling. You both are. You stand on your toes and speak into Vergil's ear. Whatever you said, made the older devil's smile grow.

Now Nero is really confused. Until he really looks at his father… and the look in his eyes… the same look that Nero bears when he and Kyrie are together. The same look of pure bliss. Adoration. You also bear the same look.

Is this what Dante meant when he said 'Keep an eye on them'? But why?

Then it dawns on him.

_ Holy shit…  _

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be a long one. I can tell.
> 
> Instead of releasing the whole fic, like I usually do, I'm going to do one chapter at a time.


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